A pint of fear and home by teatime
September 8, 2016 2:38 PM   Subscribe

Fundamentalist punk rock art collective The Mekons present their "hymn for Brexit," Fear & Beer. This track, like the rest of their new album Existentialism, was recorded on a single microphone in a single evening in front of a paying audience. The 75 attendees, dubbed the Mekoristers and credited by their names in the liner notes of the album, sang backing vocals in the style of Phil Minton's famous feral choirs. They become almost another instrument or sound effect — a distant, disconcerting drone or howl that permeates songs of political unrest and social chaos. Plus, you can dance to them (or simply shout along).
They are a punk band but they don't play punk rock, exactly. They mess around with country, reggae, cabaret, folk, Eastern music and whatever else they can shake loose in their cultural scavenger trips. The experiments keep coming because they'd be bored silly otherwise, which brings the band to its latest album in a recording career that stretches back to 1978. As usual, it finds the Mekons upending formulas — in this case, the rock cliche known as "the live album." - Mekons give 'live album' cliche a twist with 'Existentialism'
The Mekons were also recently the subject of the Joe Angio film Revenge of the Mekons. (previously)

Bonus: a complete live show from the Bowery Ballroom in 2015.
posted by DirtyOldTown (14 comments total) 25 users marked this as a favorite
 
If this isn't enough Mekons, Bonnie "Prince" Billy and friends release their all-Mekons covers record Fanatic Voyage September 16th on Drag City.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 2:41 PM on September 8, 2016 [4 favorites]


There is never enough Mekons. Great post!
posted by thivaia at 2:56 PM on September 8, 2016 [3 favorites]


The Mekons never disappoint.
posted by GenjiandProust at 3:23 PM on September 8, 2016 [3 favorites]


> There is never enough Mekons. Great post!

That's what I was going to say! I will favorite anything Mekons-related. Mekons rule!
posted by languagehat at 5:34 PM on September 8, 2016 [1 favorite]


Hello to Mekons!
posted by AsYouKnow Bob at 5:41 PM on September 8, 2016


moar meeks, plz.
posted by Devonian at 6:52 PM on September 8, 2016


I have been known to tell people IRL that--while I understand that tastes differ and not everyone will like the same things--if they don't like the Mekons, they should never ever tell me so, because I'd just be so damned disappointed in them.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 7:07 PM on September 8, 2016 [4 favorites]


posted by DirtyOldTown

Not quite eponysterical, but if you kind of squint and tilt your head just right ...
posted by penduluum at 7:37 PM on September 8, 2016 [1 favorite]


Mekons Mekons Mekons!
posted by desuetude at 9:42 PM on September 8, 2016 [1 favorite]


I love the feral choir link, thank you for that.
posted by ITheCosmos at 8:36 AM on September 9, 2016 [1 favorite]


By the way, this album is FANTASTIC. One of their very best. If you care even a little about this band, you should hunt it down ASAP.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:27 AM on September 9, 2016 [1 favorite]


SWEET.
posted by aspersioncast at 11:19 AM on September 9, 2016


thanks for posting this. Recently watched the Mekons doc and realized I forgot how great this band is. True heroes. The real deal.
posted by SystematicAbuse at 8:52 PM on September 10, 2016 [1 favorite]


Chivalrous Amoekons, the aforementioned Mekons tribute with Will Oldham, Angel Olsen and others, comes out tomorrow. Their version of "Oblivion" is on Soundcloud now.
posted by DirtyOldTown at 9:28 AM on September 15, 2016


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